Cut-off stop motion for controlling broken threads or strands in textile machinery



Aprll 18, 1967 T. E. BATEY 3,314,225

CUT-OFF STOP MOTION FOR CONTROLLING BROKEN THREADS OR STRANDS IN TEXTILE MACHINERY Filed Nov. 6, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 T. E. BATEY 3,314,225 OFF STOP MOTION FOR CONTROLLING BROKEN THREADS April 18, 1967 OR STRANDS IN TEXTILE MACHINERY 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov. (3, 1964 T. E. BATEY 3,314,225 CUT-OFF STOP MOTION FOR CONTROLLING BROKEN THREADS April 18, 1967 OR STRANDS IN TEXTILE MACHINERY Filed Nov. (5, 1964 3 Sheets-$heet 5 United States Patent 3,314,225 CUT-OFF STOP MOTION FOR CONTROLLING BROKEN ADS OR SS 1N TEX- TILE MACHINERY Thomas E. Batey, 40 Silver Hill, Weston, Mass. 02193 Filed Nov. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 409,375 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-81) This invention relates to an improved cut-off stop motion for textile or other machinery where a plurality of strands are drawn from a creel or other supply unit and delivered to a twisting spindle or other unit where the required number of strands must be controlled.

In another form of cut-off stop motion described in Patent No. 2,555,219 issued to me May 29, 1951, I have disclosed a mechanically actuated strand shearing and holding mechanism by means of which effective cutting and holding of all of the strands may be carried out whenever a break in one of the strands occurs. As set forth in my earlier patent it frequently happens that a broken or run-out strand not only results in the formation of an imperfect product on its own spindle, but may also cause other troubles. Thus the unsecured end of a broken strand may run across and become entangled with the strands of adjacent spindles. In other instances an end of a broken strand may become attached to the feed rolls of the twister and work itself about these rolls requiring additional time and labor to remove the turns before tying in.

These dilficulties are avoided to a large extent by the cut-off stop motion of Patent No. 2,555,219 which is especially designed for use in localities where electrical power is not conveniently usable. However, it is found that for some installations where electrical power can be conveniently utilized an electrically controlled cut-off stop motion may be desirable and the present invention is particularly concerned with one preferred embodiment of an electrically operated cut-01f stop motion.

It is a chief object of the invention, therefore, to provide an electrically operated cut-off stop motion actuated by strand supported drop wires arranged in a novel manner so as to instantly change position in the event strand breakage occurs.

A further object of the invention is to devise an arrangement of drop wire and electrical contact means for energizing a circuit through a solenoid member, magnet or other electrically sensitive device.

Still another object of the invention is to devise a cutoff stop motion which when actuated will operate a warning light.

The nature of the invention and its other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in end elevation and partial cross section of a twister machine of conventional form and having the cut-off stop motion of the invention combined therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of a part of the machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view partly in cross section of the electromechanical means of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG- URE 4 but showing the shearing mechanism in a fully closed position;

FIGURE 6 is a detail cross sectional view on line 6-6 of FIGURE 2 showing portions of the shearing mechanism;

3,314,225 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 ice FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the shearing mechanism showing a strand received therethrough;

FIGURE 8 is another fragmentary elevational view of the shearing mechanism and further showing the strand cut and held;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing portions of a strand guide and drop wire arrangement of the invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one preferred circuit arrangement employed in the invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, conventional twister frame components are shown in FIGURE 1, including a sampan 10 to which is secured an arm 12 in which is received a spindle 14 driven by a belt 16 from a pulley 18. 2% denotes a strand receiving bobbin mounted on the spindle and having a ring traveler 22 of the well-known type for twisting and winding a composite strand 24. As is customary in machines of the class referred to, the sampan 10 supports a platform 26 on which is mounted a roll stand 28 hearing feed rolls 3%) and 32, at least one of which is a driving roll. A frame plate 36 extends longitudinally of the frame in back of the rolls and supports an upright 38 which carries a plurality of delivery bobbins 40 from which strands, for example, as 41 and 42 are drawn off by the rolls 30 and 32.

The cut-off stop motion of the invention is designed for use at a point between the delivery bobbins 40 and the feed rolls 30 and 32 and comprises a compact strand control unit which is conveniently mounted in a raised position to avoid interference with servicing of the remaining machine parts. It will be understood that in a typical twister frame the number of delivery bobbins and receiving spindles may vary and the cut-off stop motion of the invention is intended to be used with any desired number of delivery bobbins. It will be further understood, therefore, that the following description of a single preferred form of control unit of the invention is intended to be illustrative of any one of a number of control units in actual use.

One such control unit has been illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is generally denoted by the arrow C. The control unit may take various forms and preferably is housed in a supporting structure which includes a post 44 bolted to member 26, carrying a horizontal base member 45, and a vertical panel structure 46 secured at one side of the base 45.

The base 45 supports electromechanical means for actuating shearing and holding mechanism which is generally denoted by the letter S and which is transversely supported through the vertical panel 46 as more clearly shown in FIGURES 1, 4, 5 and 6. A detachable cover part 47 may be slidably fitted about the base 45 and the rear side of panel 46 as suggested in FIGURE 5 to protect the electromechanical means from loose fibers, dirt, or other foreign material.

At the upper side of the vertical panel 46, I provide transversely located studs 50 and 52 in which are secured respective spaced apart strand guides 54 and 56 adapted to receive and guide respective strands 41 and 42. Also supported on the panel 46 and located below the guides 54 and 56 are two other strand guides 58 and 60 which are located in substantialiy vertical alignment with one another at points above and below the shearing and holding mechanism S as shown in FIGURE 2. The guides 58 and 60 are designed to receive converging strands as 40 and 42 and bring them together as a single composite strand which is drawn down through a cutting aperture 62 of the shearing mechanism S under tension from the feed rolls 30 and 32.

In accordance with the invention, I provide a novel arrangement of drop wire elements which are employed to actuate the shear mechanism S hereinafter described. Each drop wire is normally held by the tension of respective strands which are being drawn off from the delivery bobbins by the feed rolls. The arrangement of drop wires is shown in FIGURE 2 and illustrated in a somewhat larger scale in FIGURE 9. As noted in the latter figure drop wires 67 and 68 (illustrative of any desired number) are fastened to transverse shafts 70 and 71 pivotally received in bearing sleeves as 72 and 73. These bearing sleeves 72 and 73 project through the panel 46 and are solidly secured by fastening members 75 and 76 as shown in FIGURE 3 and the inner extremities of the shafts 70 and 71 are fitted with angularly dispersed electrical contacts 78 and 80. The outer extremities of the thread guides 67 and 68 are formed with angularly disposed strand retaining ends as 67a, 67b and 68a, 68b. These wire ends are adapted when rotated in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIGURES 2 and 9, to extend through respective holding frames F and F1 best shown in FIGURE 9 in a position such that the angularly extending ends 6711 and 68a project through the spaces above the frame center bars F2 and F3 while the ends 6711 and 68b extend through the spaces below the center bars F2 and F3.

It will be observed that the frames F and F1, while permitting the drop wire ends to project therethrough, nevertheless maintain these drop wires at an angle slightly less than so that they are constantly subject to gravity force which tend to cause the drop wires to fall back into the position shown in FIGURE 9 if unsupported.

When, however, the strands 41 and 42 are lead through the guides 54 and 56 with the angularly disposed drop wire ends advanced through the holding frames F and F1 as shown in FIGURE 2, these drop wire ends are prevented at two points from falling back and they will continue to remain in this position as long as the strands are unbroken. If a strand breaks, however, the drop wire supported by that strand immediately falls into a position as shown in FIGURE 9, thus rotating the electrical contact at the inner end of the drop wire shaft.

It is pointed out that by having each drop wire include two angularly extending ends projecting through a frame, one above another, and by containing a strand between these ends as well as adjacent sides of the frames F and F1, there is realized a very positive strand-holding action which in combination with the upper guides 54 and 56 prevents any accidental escape of strands unless breaking occurs and at the same time the strand may run freely with no appreciable interference from the drop wire parts or the holding frame.

The electromechanical means which as earlier noted operates under the control of the drop wires 67 and 68 is mounted on the base 45 and is more clearly shown in FIGURES 3-6. As shown therein numeral 90 denotes a solenoid member which may, for example, consist of a coil of wire through which is located a movable part 92.

Responsive to change in position of movable part 92 is a shear controlling linkage and holding latch arrangement. The linkage includes a rear link 94 and another link 96 which extends through the panel 46 as shown in FIG- URE 5 to engage one component of the shear mechanism S. Link 96 is pivotally pinned at to one end of link 94 and an intermediate portion of link 94 is pivotally attached to a fixed pivot stud 98. The opposite end of link 94 is pinned to an extremity of a control rod 100 as shown in FIGURE 5. This control rod 100 is received through a bearing member 102 solidly secured to the base 45 and is spring-loaded by a spring member 104, one end of which is pinned to the bearing 102 at 101 and the other end to a pin 106 projecting out of the control rod. A second bearing 108 located against the panel 46 supports the rod for sliding movement therethrough and an outwardly projecting end of the control rod is fitted with an operating button 110 by means of which the rod may be drawn outwardly away from the panel 46 against the resistance of the spring 104.

When the rod 100 is retracted as described above it actuates the linkage to open the shear mechanism S and also sets a holding latch mechanism which includes a pivoted lever 112 having a notched part 114. This lever 1 12 is resiliently held by a spring 116 (FIGURES 4 and 5 and its inner extremity 118 is engageable by the lower extremity of movable part 92 to cause the lever to pivot about the pivot part 120 through a small arc of rotation when the solenoid member is energized. A holding latch 124 formed with an engaging part 126 is pivoted on the base below the rod 100 as shown in FIGURE 4 and is formed with an elongated slot into which projects the lower end of pivot pin 106. When the rod 100 is retracted its pin 106 pivots the latch member 124 into a position such as that shown in FIGURE 4 in which the engaging part 126 looks into the notch 114 of the lever 112.

With the latch 124 in a holding position as described the linkage maintains the shear mechanism S in an open position in which the movable cutter blade 130 is spaced away from a fixed cutter blade 132 more clearly shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. When the movable cutter blade is closed it passes across the blade 132 and into sliding engagement with a thread holding clip 134 in a position to grip and hold the strands which are severed by the cutting blade. Release of the latch 124 results from energizing the solenoid or magnet member and actuating the movable part 92. It would be understood that the feed rolls are operating continuously and at the time when a cut occurs the rolls draw off the lower severed thread portions while the upper severed thread ends remain securely clamped in the shear mechanism as described above and thus no loose end or ends are present.

As one suitable means of thus energizing the solenoid from movement of any one of the drop wires, I provide a normally open circuit such as that shown in FIGURE 10, for example, in which a low voltage source such as a 15 volt line is utilized which may be stepped down from suitable transformer means connected to a main power line. As shown in FIGURE 3 an electrical conductor 139 runs from a negative terminal N to a switch 140 and then to an insulator strip 142 fastened to an inner side of panel 46. Located through the insulator strip 142 are electrical contacts 144 and 146 which are arranged to be engaged by respective drop wire contacts 78 and 80 when any one of these drop wires are allowed to drop back into the position of FIGURE 9. Below the insulation strip is a U-shaped connector 150 which connects with the contacts 144 and 146 and which is further connected by lead 152 to the solenoid winding.

Also included in the circuit described are means for furnishing a warning signal when a strand becomes broken. Numeral refers to an electrical lamp L received in a socket 162 in the upper portion of the panel 46. As shown in FIGURE 3 electrical conductors 164 and 166 are connected between the switch 140 and terminal P. The switch 140 is of the dual con-tact type and has its center contact element 168 attached to a link part 170. By means of this arrangement when the circuit is energized the rod 100 moves inwardly actuating the linkage and link part 170, thus bringing the leaf contact 168 into a closed circuit position to energize the lamp L.

In a typical operation the cut-off stop motion is installed and connected to an electrical source as describe-d. With the twister machine running a plurality of strands are lead through the guides as 54 and 56 and then between the drop wire ends and through respective frame portions as shown in FIGURE 2. The strands are drawn away by the feed rolls under tension and run through the lower guides 58 and 60. The rod 100 is retracted and the latch 124 engaged with lever 112 which opens the cutter mechanism.

Machine operation then continues until such time as a strand breaks or runs out at which point the drop wire supported by the broken strand falls away from its holding frame and closes a circuit through the solenoid. This releases the latch means as described above and the shear mechanism is actuated cutting the remaining strands and simultaneously holding them, preventing less than the required strands to be delivered. At the same time the warning light is energized to indicate to an operator that a break has occurred.

The apparatus described provides a number of advantages both from the standpoint of economy and operator control. It will be apparent losses from improper winding of strands can be almost completely avoided and the installation of electrically controlled devices may be readily carried out with conventional forms of twister frames used in the trade. The latch mechanism is conveniently accessible and instantly set by an operator and is arranged so that tying in of broken strand ends can be readily accomplished. The special arrangement of strand guiding means and drop wire elements makes it possible to rapidly place tensioned strands in engagement with the drop wires and the strands when thus placed in an engaged position are securely held to avoid accidental disengagement.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile machine of the twister frame type in which a plurality of strands are drawn from delivery bobbins by means of feed rolls and twisted and wound around receiving bobbins located below the feed rolls, a cut-off stop motion comprising an enclosure body presenting a strand guide supporting panel at one side thereof, a plurality of individual strand guides mounted at the upper side of the panel in horizontally spaced apart relation, a pair of composite strand guides located in vertically spaced apart relation below the individual guides, a strand shearing and holding mechanism received in the enclosure body and having cutter elements thereof projecting outwardly from the supporting panel at a point between the upper and lower composite strand guides, electromechanical means in the enclosure body for actuating said strand shearing mechansim, a plurality of tension sensing elements rotatably received in the panel and extending outwardly into the path of travel of said plurality of strands in positions to be supported by said strands as long as they are in tension, holding frame members supported immediately below the individual strand guides and presenting apertures through which the sensing .guide means may project and said frame member cooperating with the sensing elements to contain strands under tension at two opposite sides thereof.

2. A structure as defined .in claim 1 in which the tension sensing members present a pair of strand engaging fingers and said holding frames being formed with upper and lower passageways through which the fingers may project when engaged by the strands.

3. A structure according to claim 2 in which the tension sensing elements have rotatable shaft portions projecting through the panel and electrical contact means supported at the inner ends thereof for controlling the operation of the electromechanical means.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3 in which the panel further includes a warning light and an electrical switch means for energizing said light when the tension sensing members are moved.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,398,473 4/1946 Stahl et a1. 57-8l X 2,555,219 5/1951 Batey 57-86 3,132,466 5/1964 Preisser 5781 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

FRANK J. COHEN, A. J. SIDOTI, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A TEXTILE MACHINE OF THE TWISTER FRAME TYPE IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF STRANDS ARE DRAWN FROM DELIVERY BOBBINS BY MEANS OF FEED ROLLS AND TWISTED AND WOUND AROUND RECEIVING BOBBINS LOCATED BELOW THE FEED ROLLS, A CUT-OFF STOP MOTION COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE BODY PRESENTING A STRAND GUIDE SUPPORTING PANEL AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL STRAND GUIDES MOUNTED AT THE UPPER SIDE OF THE PANEL IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED APART RELATION, A PAIR OF COMPOSITE STRAND GUIDES LOCATED IN VERTICALLY SPACED APART RELATION BELOW THE INDIVIDUAL GUIDES, A STRAND SHEARING AND HOLDING MECHANISM RECEIVED IN THE ENCLOSURE BODY AND HAVING CUTTER ELEMENTS THEREOF PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SUPPORTING PANEL AT A POINT BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER COMPOSITE STRAND GUIDES, ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS IN THE ENCLOSURE BODY FOR ACTUATING SAID STRAND SHEARING MECHANSIM, A PLURALITY OF TENSION SENSING ELEMENTS ROTATABLY RECEIVED IN THE PANEL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY INTO THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID PLURALITY OF STRANDS IN POSITIONS TO BE SUPPORTED BY SAID STRANDS AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN TENSION, HOLDING FRAME MEMBERS SUPPORTED IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE INDIVIDUAL STRAND GUIDES AND PRESENTING APERTURES THROUGH WHICH THE SENSING GUIDE MEANS MAY PROJECT AND SAID FRAME MEMBER COOPERATING WITH THE SENSING ELEMENTS TO CONTAIN STRANDS UNDER TENSION AT TWO OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF. 